De-cluttering representations of memories does not de-clutter memories.
The longer we live, the more we need to de-clutter the representations but not the memories we collect. Some collections are occupying too much living space and others are stored somewhere. More times then not, they are forgotten. I had an experience with the loss of one of my representations of memories with a dearly loved one.
My Grandmother’s Bowl
It’s a beautiful bowl from the Art Deco Era. It’s beauty extends beyond its physical appearance through my memories. Memories of going to grandma’s house for holiday dinners. We always went to my mother’s parents house. I was a young child and both of my grandparents were still alive. I can still picture my family sitting around the table filled with food and chatter. For me, that bowl symbolized the feelings I experienced having holidays at grandma’s house.
During my last visit to my mom’s, she brought me over to her china hutch and said “Take whatever you want. I am de-cluttering.” So I took this bowl. When I came home, I put it in my china hutch.
A short time later, on a beautiful, sunny summer day I came home with some big dark red cherries. As I walked past the china hutch, I caught the sight of the bowl out of the corner of my eye. I decided that these beautiful cherries deserved a beautiful bowl. So, I took grandma’s bowl out of the hutch and filled it with cherries. The bowl went in the fridge and for the most of cherry season, I refilled it with nature’s bounty. One day, as I was putting the bowl back in the fridge, it tapped a shelf, cracked and then split into 2 pieces.
Devastation!
Yes at first, I was devastated. But when I really thought about it, I had used the bowl and not just let it sit on a shelf. It became part of the fabric of our lives. Every time I opened the refrigerator door I would see the bowl and smile to myself. It had given me more. Granted, it is gone, but I still have my memories.
You won’t Lose Your Memories if You De-Clutter if You De-Clutter Your Representations
Here are some ways for de-cluttering while still retaining the representations. One of the easiest ways is to make them useful if possible. Another is to display them where they can give you pleasure on a daily basis. You could take a picture of the item(s), frame them and hang them on your walls. This works particularly well with items, artwork and awards from your children’s life. Also is good for large items.
A method to If you have too many representations of memories in your house, de-clutter by thinking about downsizing as if you are going to move into a smaller home. This forces you to examine how much you care about that particular memory.
“Memory is the guardian and treasury of all things.”
~MARCUS CICERO
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